Loose door latches can occur in various homes, whether new or old. There are five main reasons for door latch issues, and the simple fix for each can be found in a guide. To fix a door that won’t latch, identify the door that is having trouble closing and remove the towel hanger. This will help prevent the door from opening up on its own after closing. Replacing an interior door in an existing opening is within the reach of the average homeowner.
To fix a door that won’t latch, tighten the hinges using a screwdriver. Older doors and frequently used doors may experience sagging at the hinges as gravity pulls the door down. To do this, remove the old locks, fill in the mortise cavities with wood blocks and wood filler, wait to dry, and tighten the hinges.
The most likely cause for a latch that won’t spring back out is either lack of lubrication in the latch or a build-up of dirt, dust, or rust stopping the latch. Focus on the top hinge, which should be rock-solid and tightly connected to the door and the door jamb.
When houses settle, doors can settle with them, resulting in misaligned door latches. Fix it with a file, a chisel, and a dab of lipstick. Solution number one involves replacing the latch set, which can be done with a screwdriver, half an hour, and a new latch set.
📹 How To Fix a Door That Won’t Latch- It’s Simpler Than You Think!
This is the easiest way to fix a door that won’t latch! Tools for the Job: Dremel Carbide Cutter: US Link: https://amzn.to/3vxwGUk …
Why has my door stopped locking?
A door lock may not lock due to a misaligned latch or the lock itself, as the latch may not align with the hole in the strike plate. It is advisable to call a professional locksmith to double-check the lock, ensure proper maintenance, and identify any other issues causing the door to stop locking. They have the correct tools to fix misaligned doors without causing additional damage.
The approach a locksmith takes to fix broken locks depends on the reason for the lock’s failure. If the door is misaligned, they can realign the latch and strike plate, file away the strike plate, or tighten the doorknob. If the lock is frozen or seized, they can thaw or clean it out using lock de-icers or graphite. They can also clean out a door lock to maintain it and prevent future issues.
How to fix a door that keeps popping open?
To stop a door from opening on its own, follow these steps:
- Close the door and inspect the hinges.
- Slide a shim between the door frame and the bottom hinge.
- Remove the pin from the top hinge.
- Tighten the screws.
If you find yourself spooked by a door opening on its own, it might be a problem that needs to be addressed. Professional handymen from Fantastic Services can help explain why the door opens like it has a mind of its own and how to fix it.
How to fix interior doors that won’t close?
This guide provides six tips to fix a door that won’t close: identify the door’s weak spot, try the lipstick test, tighten the screws, check your strike plate for easy fixes, make the door match if it won’t latch, and sand down the jambs on a door that’s out of alignment. Most issues, such as loose hinges or stuck latches, can be easily fixed on your own without hiring a professional and incurring repair costs. By following these tips, you can find simple solutions for your stuck or loose door and enjoy a more comfortable and functional home.
How do you fix a latch problem?
To ensure a secure latch during breastfeeding, it is recommended to select a quiet and calm location, adopt a skin-to-skin position with the infant, and utilize hand support for the infant’s neck, shoulders, and hips. This practice is of paramount importance for both the mother and the infant, as it facilitates maternal comfort and optimizes milk intake for the infant. Furthermore, stimulating the infant’s lips with the nipple can facilitate the opening of the mouth.
How do you fix a door latch that won’t catch?
A door that won’t close properly can be frustrating. To fix this, adjust the alignment of the strike plate in relation to the door latch. Begin by tapping the metal tab in the strike plate with a screwdriver and hammer to bend the tab slightly. If this doesn’t work, loosen the screws on the strike plate and tap the entire plate toward the door opening. If this doesn’t work, loosen the screws holding the plate and tap the whole unit toward the door or possibly remove it altogether and remount it closer to the casing edge.
How do I stop an internal door from swinging open?
The speaker is gratified by the stability of their object, which has consistently maintained a closed position and has been a source of contention between them and their spouse.
Why is my door lock mechanism not engaging?
The malfunctioning of a door lock can be attributed to a number of factors, including the deterioration of the lock mechanism or latch assembly. However, the most prevalent causes are the accumulation of debris within the lock mechanism, the improper installation of the door, and the misalignment of the latch and strike plate.
Why did my door stop latching?
The door’s closing is likely due to the latch not engaging properly with the strike plate, which is crucial for proper interaction. If the door doesn’t make a sound, it’s likely to swing open again. Two solutions are to replace the latch set with a new one, which can be done with a screwdriver and a new latch set. Alternatively, widen the gap in the strike plate with a mill file, a small saw file used for sharpening blades.
This doesn’t require removing the strike plate, but can be done by opening the door, placing the mill file inside the gap, and filing away at the inner edge until it’s large enough to accommodate the latch.
Will WD-40 help a swollen door in the summer?
While both products offer protection for doors, WD-40 has the advantage of being less messy and drying more slowly.
How do you fix a door closer that won’t close all the way?
Door closers come in various spring power sizes, ranging from 1-6. If the door closer is not closing the door all the way, it may be undersized. It is crucial to ensure that the correct spring size is used when installing or replacing a door closer. Fixed spring models are non-adjustable and can only be used for specific door sizes. Adjustable spring door closers have spring adjustment to change the spring tension for various door sizes.
All commercial door closers come standard with two closing speeds: the main closing speed (sweep) and the latch speed. The main closing speed ranges from the start of the door closing cycle to approximately 12 degrees, while the latch speed ranges from the last 12 degrees of closing to the full closed position. To increase the main closing speed, loosen the closing speed valve counter clockwise, going 1/8 or 1/4 turn at a time. Never fully loosen any door closer valve, as it can result in loss of hydraulic pressure and oil leakage, damaging the door closer.
According to ADA guidelines, the door should take at least 5 seconds to close from the 90 degree door position to the 12 degree door position. If the door closer closes fine for the main closing cycle but does not close during the latch range, adjust the latch speed by loosening the valve an 1/8 to 1/4 turn at a time. A slamming door is dangerous to pedestrians and should never be used.
📹 Door Won’t Latch—3 Easy Fixes!
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I always start with tightening up the hinges and making sure they’re adjusted for even door fit. The screws that come with most hinge sets are always short and usually fail, especially in cheap doors. Take 1-3 of them out of each hinge one at a time and put in a 2″-3″ #8 wood screw and now you’re cooking with gas. Fixes 75% of latching issues
As another honest carpenter since 1975, I have some suggestions for this common issue. Look at how the door is hanging in the jamb. If the bolt and strike plate hole are not aligning it is probably due to the jamb moving or the top hinge loosening and changing the alignment. The most common movement is for the door to lean at the top towards the lock side of the opening. Often just tightening the screws in the top hinge will get things into alignment . It can be good to remove one of the screws that is closest to the center of the jamb in the top hinge . Then drill its hole out with a 3/16 bit . Just drill through the jamb but not into the stud of the framing . Then use a 2 1/2 or 3 inch screw to screw into the stud and thus pull the top of the door towards the jamb . This will raise where the lock bolt hits the strike plate and often give a more permanent fix . I have also bought carbide reaming attachments for my drill which allow me to remove metal from the bottom of the strike plate, lowering the hole so that the bolt can hit the hole . I do this without removing or lowering the whole strike plate . A faster process. Of course all this depends on how far the bolt and strike plate are out of alignment . And as for lateral misalignment of bolt and strike plate, usually the bolt is not going into the hole due to the door warping. In that case the strike plate can be removed and the tongue cut or broken off to elongate the hole towards the outside and allow the bolt to go in .
If the old holes keep messing up proper alignment with new holes, even after the toothpick filling, you can drill out 3/8″ holes, then glue a 3/8″ plug. This should provide a fresh wood area wide enough to mark and drill new holes without the hassle of bits wandering into old holes, or shifting from varying densities of fillers.
I love these jobs cause 1)they’re easy 2)pay well 3)home owners are always so happy to have a non sticking latching working door. I’m amazed at how often. Doors are installed wrong. Especially pre-hung doors that take a lot of the guess work out. If you’re a trade carpenter I’d suggest hanging Jams and doing the hinges yourself. If you master that, fixing junk mdf jobs is a breeze because wood jams, trim, and doors can’t be fixed with caulk and paint
You can also drive a 3″ screw into the top hinge center screw. It will catch the framing and pull the door up. Use an impact driver, being careful to not overtighten and break the screw head or split the jam. This process will pull the door up slightly providing enough upward hang to allow the door to shut. This however, may cause the door to swing open or shut depending on the door swing.
Sometimes the strike plate and latch are in the right places of the door and jam, but over time the door has shifted in alignment (tilting down). To fix it you can bend the hinge loops inward (on the door side) and it will move the top of the door enough that the latch and strike plate are now back in alignment.
I feel that you did this fix mostly on the wrong side of the door. I would have asked myself first why has the door dropped? As already mentioned by someone else worn hinges. If that were the case then either replace the hinges or a temporary fix is to pack out under the lower hinge. Another fix would be to bend either half of the bottom hinge out or the top hinge in. This is done with the hinge pin removed. If the door frame has moved because of house movement then what you did would work. I used to fill screw holes like you do however these days I find that a better solution is to drill the old hole out and glue in a dowel, trim with a multi tool & then drill fresh holes. Cheers
Just fixed mine today! Thank you SO much for this how to! The one problem I don’t see addressed, that I had, and others have, is how do you account for the top screw being lowered into a very narrow space between the old hole and the giant opening for the latch? I had to move mine down about 1/8″ and even with drilling the pilot holes, the wood underneath still split a little. There was only about 1/8″ or less of wood between the new, (upper) screw and the opening for the latch. Ideas?
I know this was put up a year ago, but I just had to thank you. Our side door wouldn’t lock and I was worried about having to drill new holes because my mom usually does stuff like that. I managed to glue the toothpicks in and drill new holes for the door to lock and I’m so happy it worked and I didn’t screw it up. Thank you 💜
Three good ideas. Another issue occasionally encountered with the strike plate is the ‘tongue’ of the strike plate, which extends into the mortise. If it is bent too little it can prevent the bolt from entering the mortise enough to securely latch. Remove the strike and bend it with a couple of Crescent wrenches, one to hold the strike and the other to bend the ‘tongue’ if placing a large screwdriver against the ‘tongue’ and hitting it with a hammer doesn’t work. Several viewers mentioned loose hinges. Excellent point. If the screw holes no longer hold the screws securely they can be repaired with toothpicks, etc. The first thing I check is the door reveal. Occasionally hinges become sprung. A door doesn’t have to sag much for a lock to not latch. If the reveal at the bottom edge of the door is too large place a small piece of hardwood dowel, 1/4″ or 3/8″, as close to the knuckles as possible and gently close the door on it a few times. This will push the edge of the door towards the strike jamb and raise the height of the bolt. If the top of the reveal is too close to the strike jamb, remove the hinge pin and use an open end wrench, just large enough to slip over the hinge knuckles, to bend each knuckles slightly away from the door. This will pull the door slightly away from the strike jamb and raise the height of the bolt. This can also fix a sagging door that a customer thinks needs to be planed down because it is rubbing against the strike jamb. If the hinges are heavy duty you may have to remove them and place them in a vise.
After reviewing your problem solutions for a non- locking door situation I gave this additional thought. I had bought a new door lock set and the door latch bolt would not lock into the striker plate. I looked a bit more carefully and realized that the new bolt that I had installed had the bolt angle coming in at the opposite direction from what it should have been. My solution was simply to reverse the bolt by turning it upside down which then positioned the bolt angle to be consistent with when the angle of the bolt hit the striker plate. This fixed the problem and did not require any of the other solutions that you suggested.
My dad was an excellent carpenter with a degree in industrial arts as well. I’d labor for him at times and he’d burn through quite a number of repair jobs in a Chicago city day. He’d not waste a moment with his efficiency and, if he didn’t have a splinter of wood at hand (I never remember him carrying around toothpicks), he’d whittle on a pencil and jam it in the new screw hole, maybe with a dab of white glue. Back then he’d have to deal with all kinds of hardware such as what today would be considered antique, mortised-in door latches and he carried some jars of parts. He’d also had jars of screws, machine and wood of assorted varieties. To this day I still clearly remember him spilling out some of one of those jars, him bending over on his knees and quickly sorting through the pile. -Never remember him coming up short. Yes! And he’d drive in long screws through a hinge or two to pull in a door, driving them with a push-style automatic screwdriver which would do a lot of damage to a jamb or finger if an individual with less capable skills. I learned from reading tips in Fine Hombuilding in it’s early years that one could also carefully take a crescent wrench to the hinge pin tabs and bend them some to move a door in or out – working the bottom or top hinge in an instance like this. Ah! And don’t forget the possibility of putting down behind a hinge a layer or so of firm cardboard cut from a hinge box in one’s “bag-of-tricks” to move the door some as needed. In my days after dad retired I had access to a nice variety of dowel rod.
Believe me.I can understand why you have to claim that you’re honest.I live in the land of cracker box palaces where a home goes up in a day.When you count all the trades and their shortcuts and abilities to camouflage gaps,binding pipes and doors and windows hung out of plumb. It can be a never ending fix it project. Thanks!
Hey, i love your articles, but i wanted to point out one small detail. When you used your file on the strike plate, I noticed you may have been filing on the back stroke as well as the push. If you have cross serrated teeth on your file, this is fine. Usually the most basic file is a “mill” or “bastard” file, and the teeth only cut in one direction. If this is the case, you’re actually prematurely wearing out your file. I know this isnt a super big deal, as files are cheap, but i like to take care of my tools and wanted you and others to be aware as well.
I fix a ton of these on a regular basis and THE most common issue is the door sagged. Look at the top door gap, if it’s wider on the latch side chances are the door has sagged, usually from not having a long screw into the framing on the top hinge. The first thing I usually do is try putting a longer screw into the top hinge and most times it will pick the latch side up enough to work. A lot of guys cut corners, especially in production framing and will do it the quickest way, leaving out the long screws into framing. Ive seen some guys not even shim the doors properly and rely on the casing alone to keep the door set. If the latch plate is centered in the pre-drilled hole in the frame, and the door isn’t lining up with it, moving the latch plate, though it will work in most cases, is not the best answer.
I was taught to remove one of the screws from the top hinges, get a longer screw and that will pull the hinge in lifting up the door a little fixing the problem. this assumes that the screw you use this long enough to go into the two-by-four starting behind the wall. Also, that is assuming that there is some sag in the door.
I would check the door for sag before messing with the striker plate. A lot of times a hinge is loose or a hinge has been sprung so the door doesn’t set right. Visually inspect and rattled the door to see if any of the hinges move. If they do, try tightening the screws. You may need to plug the holes and Re-drill them if they are stripped out. Also, close the door and check the gap see if it’s even all the way around if it’s not addressed at the door check the set an easier fix to straighten out a sprung hinge. As for filling holes golf tees are almost perfect size and they have that nice big fat head it’s easy to hammer them in with spot of glue. Every tool box should have a few wood tees just for this repair.
one other option (for older type of hinges) is to insert a spacer between top and bottom part of all the hinges. in this way you elevate the door, probably to its original position (the reason for the whole problem is that the door saged) if you move the striker plate to match the sagged doors enough times, the door will be scraping the floor, eventually 🙂
Some of these comments are from real finish carpenters. Replace one middle screw thru the top hinge along the jamb with a 3″ screw is a great try. Takes the least amount of time and maybe some follow up with the strike plate. Your FIX #3: Way too much extra time spent on unnecessary steps. You gotta have a sharp chisel for this. No excuses! Get a sharp one! There is no need for a razor blade or glue. If you are using toothpicks, mark them and cut them 1/8″ longer (use wire cutters). Then, hammer them in. It blunts the head and forces the point end in tighter. Glue is not needed. It’s ok if you wanna drill a small setter hole. No need for a second pass with the larger drill bit. You want the screw to squeeze in tight. No wiggle room. Most door jambs are made of MDF not oak or any hard wood. ALSO possible… the strike plate being too far in.
I would think Super Glue is not the correct glue for this ! Better to go with a Wood glue, or maybe worse case, Elmer’s glue ! But before going to all this work, I have found many times the door hinges have worked loose, allowing the door itself to drop down, misaligning the latch ! Many times just shoring up the bottom of the door with a simple wedge, will take the load off the hinges enough to allow proper retightening of the anchor screws ! Adding some glue to those as well, will lessen the chance for a reoccurrence ! 👍😉 Just Say’n !
How do you break in a room if the vertical rectangle lever door handle won’t open when you pull it? I took out the “cover plate” and there are 2 holes. One for the key hole and one for the handle. There’s a stick thing sticking out and I can’t get to the latch from the door crack because there are door frames the cover the crack from the outside. Should I just kick it in?
I’ve been trying to fix a door that was illegally kicked in by the cops when I wasn’t home because they thought a fugitive may be inside. Of coarse the cops denied doing it. They blamed it on the guy they were looking for. Pigs should be responsible for property they damage while illegally searching a home. But I live in the United States. Pigs get away with everything here
Can’t close my front door, meaning I can’t lock my front door… live in sketchy suburbia. Landlord and property manager knows and continues to ghost me despite BEGGING for maintenance to come out (liability is an understatement, not safe or legal but that’s renting…). Really counting on your article mate, if you can help me fix this you’re a lifesaver
If the latch ever worked when the door was installed, that problem is probably due to the hinges wearing down or coming loose from the jamb. You can tighten the hinge screws to see of that helps, or you can perhaps shim the bottom and middle hinge to raise the door slightly at the strike plate. If the hinges are really worn, simply replace them and the door will likely be raised and work just as it did when it was new. If you have some washers the right size, you could insert washers on the hinges to raise the leaf attached to the door which will do the same thing.
Sorry, brother. But you’re wrong on this one. The FIRST thing you do is check the reveal of the top and side. If it’s off and showing the door is sagging, you tighten the top hinge (the hinge into the jamb or the jamb into the frame) and possibly shim out the bottom hinge. Then if that doesn’t work, you can adjust the strike plate.
The door hinges can also be the problem. loose screws allow the door to sag and cause misalignment. Or the door is not properly fitted. Check the gaps and there may be room to “throw” the hinges and put the door back in alignment with the catch. You might even improve the appearance on a badly fitted door.
One approach that has worked for me – if you back out the screws holding the strike plate a bit, you have a bit of play with the location of the plate – you can move it about 1/16″ of an inch up or down. Sometimes that’s enough to solve the problem. Just tighten it back down after you’ve made the fine adjustment to the location of the plate, and you’re good to go.
THANK YOU! I have had three doors in my house that have not latched properly or consistently in more than 20 years. I wanted to hire someone to fix it but no one seemed to be interested. All to the good! I had to fashion a shim block for one side of the routed cutout on one side and cut deeper into the other for two of them to shift the cutout position up or down by about half an inch, fashioned a dowel that perfectly fit the screw holes (drilling out the holes first) and put everything in place with Liquid Nails. Then I put the strike plate on after trimming out what was needed on the surface to fit it. For the third, the file trick was enough to get it working. THANK YOU!!!!!!!
First tip worked great. Back dog door was blowing open because it wasn’t latching. I have a home daycare and over time the kids yanking on the door caused it not to latch. I never comment but I agree with everyone on here- concise, informative, well made how to. Makes me want to tinker with other stuff, very rewarding.
I think he has one thing right step one check you plate let that tell the story like it did the wear mark was low Step 2 based on step 1 info check how the door sits in the door jamb is it square does it sag Step 3 like another said check all hinge screws are tight Step 3 since I don’t know if the door is sitting in jamb correctly nor do we know anything else about the door set up I would go with shim the bottom hinge to raise the door up Never move or relocate the latch plate never file the plate never bang on the plate to slightly move the hinge down that’s nuts a matter of fact you never mess with wood and screws you keep that to real minimum other wise you will have another issue to deal with, these articles are common back yard repair techniques that give you poor results there are so many variables when working and tuning doors and this type of article is just a band aide it’s not really a “repair” you will be back again for another round
I have a question, I have just had my carport built in, and installed 2 new mahogany doors, they are about 8 foot tall (95 1/2 inches tall). I am wondering, do I install my door knob at the normal height, like 7 foot doors, or will that make it look strange? I’ve researched and cannot find much on what height to install hardware on 8 foot doors. Any responses would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!
I use wood golf tees to fill in old screw holes. Dab some glue on the ends. Tap ’em in with a hammer. Score them with a knife. Snap ’em off. Drill new screw holes. Sometimes you’ll find that some hinge screws are loose. Tightening the hinge screws may realign the door strike. Other times the screw holes are stripped and longer screws, that reach into the studs, are required. Sometimes, though, you have to adjust the hinges by squeezing or spreading them.
If you’re moving the striker there is something else wrong. Should never jave to do that. We get a lot of movement here🇦🇺 so if you move it in the wet season you’ll be moving it back in the dry. Should give attention to the hinges first. To fill screw holes i use 4mm skewers (normally coz the hole is flogged out), drill out the hole to correct size, glue in skewer, re drill holes with self centering drill.
First you should have check the hinges to make sure they where right!!!!!!! Wood matches work well filing the hole and if the match is to small then a match and toothpick… In older homes where the door has been change a few times then move to the golf tee or combo of multi match sticks!!!! Instead of super glue every home has kids white glue it is not my first choice but just recent I found the super glue hard as a rock in the bottle, not put away right!!!!!
THANK YOU!!! Filing it down by about 1/8″ did the trick perfectly! I also removed about 1/8″ of wood from the inside to make room with a utility knife. Now it shuts and latches absolutely perfectly! This door has been flying open with the wind for about two years now when not locked and it’s super annoying. The guy who installed it was supposed to come fix it but never showed up. It’s a dutch door and I checked the hinges to make sure before doing this. Now we can rest easy knowing the wind isn’t going to throw the door open while we enjoy the backyard. Thank you for this great article!
A little lift on the bottom of the door got the latch aligned with the plate suggesting that the door was sagging. I then tightened all the screws on the top hinge. Even though they already felt snug, all six screws moved a bit when I tightened some more. And it was just that tiny little bit that pulled my door back up and into alignment. So I would say check that top hinge first! I guess I lucked out with this easy fix. However, I learned some other great tips from this article for when my luck runs out. 😏
Mine were like this & I used some self-adhesive felt furniture pads (about 3-ish mm thick each) & stuck 1 to the very bottom of the door frame where the door will sit when it’s shut, & another 1 to the actual door where it will butt up against the 1 on the frame… & BAM. Problem fixed. My issues were a result of 2 things; 1 – a non-plumb door frame/uneven hinges (door was crooked with a bigger gap at the top of the door, and the other from stripped screws in the top hinge making the door sag, catch & sometimes super hard to close. Anyway, that fixed both issues immedietaly & the felt pads stick really well, they’re not going anywhere. Especially with the simultaneous pressure against both sides when the doors are closed. Permanent solution? Eh… maybe, maybe not. However for me, not being able to see the felt pads & the fact that it works absolutely perfect…no brainer… it’s the option I chose & intend to keep until I’m ready for something else. Best, y’all! <3
Thank you, this got me out of a jam! Speaking of being in a jam…have you thought about if you’ll be in a jam when you die? Are you going to heaven? Most people would say that they’ve been good enough to get into heaven. Would you pass the test? Let’s take a quick look! \t1.\tHow many lies have you told in your whole life? \t2.\tHave you ever stolen anything no matter how little the value? \t3.\tHave you ever use the Lords name in vain (like OMG)? These are three of the 10 Commandments and if you answered yes to these questions that would make you like the rest of us. The 10 Commandments are God’s moral law and we’ve all broken them. The Bible says the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) which means we have all earned death (hell). But because of God’s love he has provided a way to heaven (1 Timothy 2:4). He sent his son Jesus Christ to pay the price for us. Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins (1 John 2:2) and rose bodily from the grave three days later to give us life. Jesus took the punishment we deserve on the cross. If we believe and put our trust in Him we too can have eternal life in heaven (Acts 16:31). Repent (which means turn from your sins and not live the life of a hypocrite) and trust Jesus today.
The funny thing is this is the exact problem with our bathroom door. And mind you we only have one bathroom in my house. I showered one day and my mom got mad and opened the door, needless to say, I was very mad and ever since needed to fix this problem with the door. Turns out it doesn’t latch all the way in and I have no clue why since it used to work but all of a sudden it doesn’t. 😭
Question? If you can get the toothpicks far enough in the holes, is there a need for the glue? Wouldn’t the force of the screw pressing in along the gaps create enough friction to stay put? If anyone is having the issue where their latch or deadbolt is loose or falling out due to the screws stripping out the inside of the door. I have invented a new door hardware that solves this problem, ReSecure Latch. No more glue, sticks, puddy, or that ugly metal sleeve that ruins the look of your door. Great for DYI people like JPV, property owners/maintenance technicians, and you.
My door jam was split by my son (long story). I had no idea how to fix it – this has me in the right ball park! It latches if I pull the plate down & towards me. So I’m going to try to glue it w clamps to pull the wood back together..then deal with the latchplate. Thank you so much!!! (5 years of unable to lock door!)
Great tips. As for filling the old nail holes, another YouTuber showed how he keeps a supply of wooden golf Tees for accomplishing the same task. A quick tap with a mallet of hammer (don’t remember if he used glue on his, but the super glue makes good sense) then break off the end or cut it flush and there you go. Ready to be Re-drilled.
When I moved into my apartment 18 yrs ago I didn’t pay much attention to my master door. I noticed it would blow back and forth when closed and there was a storm outside. Only recently did I realize it needed a strike plate they had just painted the hole and walked away. Yea slumlord city here. Anyway never having put one on I figured it was a piece of cake. “a 5 min job” Now is where I warn all newbies like me to DIY repairs it is a CURSE to ever estimate how long something will take. I screwed the plate in with no effort and proudly closed the door. It no longer shook in place however it also didn’t latch. It acted like the plate wasn’t deep enough in the groove. I messed with it another half-hour and then gave up. at least it no longer rattled. It’s still there and still doesn’t latch. I do NOT want to risk messing it up. Let them. Right now it looks better and is semi functional LOL. Thanks for this article we have had serious EQ’s here and I think the doorjamb is twisted a bit. Mine is almost lined up with the hole it has about 1/16th inch that it’s below. I am just a chicken and don’t want to carve it out LOL. Thanks for the article.
Thanks for the 3 tips for adjusting the latch. I have one small suggestion to add. For Tip #3 use those sharp skewer sticks you find with your barbeque dishes at your local restaurant or the chopsticks that you use at your favorite Asian restaurant. I save those for just this kind of fix to plug up a hole. The chop sticks may even be used as dowels for that small wood project you might come across now and then. Again, thanks for sharing your article.
Wow this all seems like a lot of work compared to how I fixed the problem. All I did was unscrew the very bottom screw on the frame about 1/2 inch. That way when the door closes, the screw sticking out naturally leverages the door upwards enough to clear the strike plate. Easy peezy – literally a 12 second fix.
Thank you for this! I had just enough “knowledge” of how to fix the issues we are having with several of our doors without knowing the PROPER way to do it. 😩I tried the first method, but the way I did it was way off. I tried bending the tab using pliers with the plate in my hand. I didn’t know about the filing tip. When I moved the strike plates, I probably didn’t move them enough because I never had to chisel out anything from what I remember (it has been awhile since I gave up). No wonder I had little success. I managed to fix a couple of doors, but it must have been that they didn’t need much adjustment. I know what I will be doing today…I have four doors to tackle that I have been putting off because I haven’t known what else to do. I am going to try the first two methods before moving the plates (again). Keep up the good work!
What’s the best way to close the space on the latch side? I’ve already added 3″ screws which brought only the top of the door over so there’s still a larger gap on the bottom of door. Should I shim out the bottom hinge to even it out?? I’m afraid the hinge will stick out to far and not open and close properly as well as latching better… Thank You in advance!! Happy New Year!!
I had to do this on a bedroom door at my son’s house. I’m a rank amateur, but I did pretty much what you did and in the same order. I did have to eventually move the latch plate down. I wasn’t aware of the toothpick trick, so I used rough plugs I cut with my box knife and drove them in gently with my hammer. It worked fine, but the toothpick trick would be SO much easier and faster. I’ll keep that one in mind in case I have to do this again. Now I need some advice on what to do with doors that rub the frame when closing. Short of planing down the door, is there anything else that can fix this problem? I’ve tried pounding the door frame away from the opening with a hammer and a block of wood, but the door frame moved less than half a millimeter–not enough. I also checked the hinge screws, and they were tight.
Hi Ethan! You are a super rockstar for sharing this. I had this exact issue in a brand new home. The issue popped up about a week after the one year warranty expired. The door latches worked fine all year prior. I went a couple of nights without being able to secure my back door. I wasn’t quite sure how to find a vendor to do this repair As most door and window companies are only interested in sales and installation, not Repair. Anyways I had to lower both my deadbolt and door knob strike plates and option three was required. In my case I used both a wood chisel and a Dremel to bore out the holes but I needed to understand how to put it all together and you’ve crafted an excellent instructive article here. Thank you so much Ethan. I am eternally grateful!
Handy techniques. If the door frame has settled wether the strike side or the hinge side another option is to pack the hinges on the jamb. The best material I’ve found is pressed cardboard like from a cereal box in 1/4″ strips. In your case I would have packed out the bottom hinge closest to the hinge pin or the top one closest to the stop molding. One or two strips at most because you don’t want the door to hit the top jamb. Love your articles keep them coming!
The number 1 way to fix is realize over time the weight of the door is pulling from the top hinge. You can tell when you close the door and the reveal is not even. Unscrew the top hinge at the door jam. Put in a 3″ screw to pull back in place. Rescrew the top hinge and fixed!! Everytime! No putting or hole to fill because its behind the hinge. You can do the same with out removing the 3 or 4 hinge screw and just replace one with a 3″. Try it.
Fun fact. Putting in a new keyed doorknob and it would not latch. I followed the directions precisely BUT the person writing the directions failed to point out what side of the door you were working on. So I’m on the inside and according to the directions I put my latch in the opening correctly, but they meant the OTHER side of the door so I put it in backward. It would not stay latched. All that work of putting in a new doorknob had to be undone and reassembled. WAH!
I commend you on your choices for articles. You hit on the most common issues that meet the needs of the widest audience in my opinion. The only problem I have is that your articles are also very basic, but I assume a lot of people don’t know these things so maybe it’s just basic for me. But good choices. I don’t like the toothpick thing, but I guess that’s good for homeowners who don’t do any woodworking. I always have sawdust around so I prefer filling holes with sawdust mixed into Titebonds because Titebonds is far superior to CA glue for wood applications. Even better is to fill the hole with an epoxy.
First of all, the door is swinging in the wrong direction. That is against building codes, and won’t pass inspection. Richard and James are right. First of all, check the reveal of the door all around. That will tell you what the problem is. If you are having to lower the strike plate that much for the strike to hit it, there is a crack between the top of the door and the jamb big enough to throw a cat through.
We just bought a home that had about 90% of the doors with this problem. About half of them latched fine after I just went through and tightened all of the hinge screws. 2 I had to add a hinge shim to the bottom hinge, since I could see the door was not square in the frame. That solved them! In my personal opinion, those 2 steps were way easier than filing or repositioning the strike plate… 🤷♀️ Love your articles! I would definitely move to these steps if the 2 I tried didn’t work.
Doing theses adjustments are just quick fixes. Look at the door it’s usually dropped on the corner making it out of alignment with latch plate, try tightening hinge screws sometimes replace with large gauge screws. Door latches are usually originally fitted Center, Alternately keep adjusting latch plate until door hits the floor and rubs👎